Bidding starts for design of new 8-storey Brickdam Police Station

Bidding has been opened by the Ministry of Home Affairs for consultants to design a new, eight-storey Brickdam Police Station, with bidders being invited to submit their bids to the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) by March 15.

According to a statement from the Ministry, a consultant is being sought to undertake the design service for the construction of the Brickdam Police Station, which was gutted by a massive fire last year.
“Bidding will be conducted through the National Competitive Bidding (NCB) Procedures specified in the Procurement Act 2003, and is open to all Bidders. Bidders are required to submit Technical and Financial Proposals which must cover travelling expenses and reimbursements,” the statement has said.
It was explained that bidding documents can be inspected and purchased from the Ministry of Home Affairs upon payment of a non-refundable fee of $3,500 for each bid document. When it comes to the actual bids, these must be submitted in a plain, sealed envelope without anything to identify the bidder.
“Each envelope should state clearly the name of the project (for example, ‘Tender for Design Service for the Construction of Brickdam Police Station – 8 Storey) at the top left-hand corner.”
According to the Ministry, bids must be submitted by March 15, with valid Compliance Certificates from the Commissioner General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the General Manager of the National Insurance Scheme (NIS). It was explained that electronic bidding is not permitted.
“Bids will be opened at 09:00 hours on Tuesday 15th March 2022 in the Boardroom of the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board, Ministry of Finance, in the presence of those bidders or their representatives who choose to attend the opening.
“The Ministry of Home Affairs reserves the right to reject any or all the bids without assigning any reason.
“Technical proposals will be opened first. Financial proposals will be opened after the evaluation of the technical proposals. However, both technical and financial proposals must be submitted on the opening date mentioned above,” the Ministry further explained.
Last year, Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn had said that a modern Police Station complex would be constructed at Brickdam. In budget 2022, an allocation of $405 million was set aside for a new Brickdam Police Station. It had been announced that the Home Affairs Ministry would be consulting to determine the structural make-up of the building.
“The Brickdam barracks are under rehabilitation forced on with the issues by the fire for $20 million…In respect to the new Brickdam Police Station, we have made three conceptual designs, (of) which we have adopted one. We intend to get, along with our engineering group, work with some consultants in respect of the structural, foundation design and issues related to the reticulation of the building,” Minister Benn had informed the National Assembly.
On October 2, 2021, a fire flattened the wooden complex which used to be the Brickdam Police Station. Chase Green, a man who was arrested for robbery under arms, has since been remanded to prison for setting fire to the Brickdam Police Station. The fire, which started in the second-storey in the administrative building, had destroyed some 80 per cent of the Police station.
Police Headquarters had said that Green confessed to starting the fire. Green reportedly confessed that he took a piece of sponge and wrapped it on a piece of wire which he lit and pushed through a ventilation hole in the cell over to a part that had some documents.
It was from there that the fire started.